Bhai Subeg Singh and Bhai Shahbaz Singh

Bhai Subeg Singh was resident of village Jumber district Lahore. He was
well educated and scholar of Persian. He was working as a government contractor
at Lahore. He mediated between the government and the Sikhs in 1733 A.D., when
the Dal Khalsa was given an estate. During 1745 A.D., when the Governor Zakria
Khan could not pass urine, Bhai Subeg Singh was sent by him to the Dal Khalsa.
As advised by the leader, the Governor had kept on passing urine when hit on the
head with the shoe of Bhai Taru Singh.

After the death of Zakria Khan on the 1st July, 1745 A.D., his son,
Yahiya Khan became the Governor of Lahore. To avenge the death of his brother
Jaspat Rai, who had died in an encounter with the Singhs near Eminabad in January,
1746 A.D., Diwan Lakhpat Rai said to the new Governor, "Subeg Singh is in league
with the Singhs. Your father had to hit himself on the head with a Singh's shoe
at his bidding which caused his death. He should be punished for that crime."

The Governor ordered Bhai Subeg Singh to become a Muslim and spy on
the Singhs. Eighteen year old son of Bhai Subeg Singh, Shahbaz Singh,
studied Persian from a maulvi. When the maulvi came to know of the arrest
of Bhai Subeg Singh, he asked Bhai Shahbaz Singh to embrace Islam so that
he may marry his daughter to him as he was handsome and genius. Bhai Shahbaz
Singh refused his offer. The maulvi asked the Governor and had him arrested
also. The qazi said to them, "If both of you embrace Islam, you will be
pardoned . " At their refusal both of them were mounted on rotating wheels
in sight of each other so that they might embrace Islam seeing each other
suffering. But they did not forsake their faith although both became
unconscious due to excessive loss of blood.

Next day, the qazi said to Bhai Shahbaz Singh, "Son !
your father has been executed. I can ward off your death if you become
a Muslim even now." Bhai Shahbaz Singh replied, "Death cannot be put
off. It must come one day." The qazi sent the son away, called for
the father and said to him, 'Your son has agreed to embrace Islam
and you should also consent to do so." Bhai Subeg Singh said,
"I cannot give up my faith at any cost." The qazi again brought
the father and son face to face. He again asked both of them to come
to the fold of Islam. On their refusal, the qazi ordered both of them to
be killed. On the 10th March, 1746 A.D., the executioners beheaded both
of them. It was on that day that Diwan Lakhpat Rai had got together
the Sikhs of Lahore and handed them over to the scavengers of the city
for slaughter in order to exterminate Sikhs. The prominent Hindus of
the city pleaded with the Diwan, not to murder innocent Sikhs. He
replied, "If God Himself comes and forbids me, I shall not stop."